


Love Me, Hate Me

by EpicLilKitty



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, adrienette - Freeform, ladrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 20:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13531521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicLilKitty/pseuds/EpicLilKitty
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng finally gets up the nerve to ask out her crush, Adrien Agreste, only to be shot down. When Chat Noir tries to comfort her, she begins to think that maybe she could move on but a chance reveal could ruin everything.





	1. A Broken Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Okay guys, so first I would like to apologize for the crappy summary. I have never been good at writing summaries haha. Hopefully, you will enjoy my regular writing a bit more... I can't exactly say how long this fic will be. Full disclosure, this was supposed to be an 'In the Rain' one-shot where Chat offered Ladybug an umbrella and she realized who he is under the mask and... then it kinda expanded so... hope you like it haha

_It’s now or never; I can do this!_ Marinette Dupain-Cheng thought fiercely as the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Around her, students immediately began packing up their bags and chattering excitedly with friends. The teacher tried to talk over them, warning them for perhaps the fifth time that midterm finals started on Monday but no one was listening. It was Friday, school was out, and clearly, the students were more interested in finalizing weekend plans than worrying about Finals Week. Beside her, Alya slid her Maths book into her messenger bag before turning and giving her an impish grin. “So?” She asked expectantly. “Did you talk to Adrien, yet?”

“Sort of… he’s meeting me after class.” Marinette gave her a nervous smile. With her eighteenth birthday and graduation fast approaching, the teenaged girl had finally decided to do something about her long unrequited love of one Adrien Agreste. Alya shot her two thumbs up and stood, swinging her bag over her shoulder as her boyfriend, Nino, poked his head into the classroom.

“I have to go but good luck, Girl. No wimping out, you hear? Nino and I are rooting for you!” She chirped, waving as she bounded down the stairs to greet the boy with a quick peck on the cheek. Nino smiled affectionately and murmured something in her ear that made the girl blush and giggle before he turned with a wide grin at Marinette.

“Adrien said he would meet you in the courtyard, Mari.” He called, waving as he and Alya took their leave. Marinette watched them go, apprehension tickling at the back of her mind. She quickly squashed her nervousness and gathered her stuff, hurrying out of the classroom. Her class was relatively close to the back entrance of the high school which led out into the courtyard, so she actually arrived before Adrien. Marinette quite liked hanging out in the courtyards and not just because she had helped design and build it. Last year, it had been an outside lunch area with rickety old tables and benches, dying vegetation and trash littering the area. As Student Body President Marinette had gotten permission create a committee to transform the area into a place students actually _wanted_ to hang out. Now, rather than a rotting fence, the courtyard was enclosed by high hedges with a single wrought iron gate leading out onto the street beyond.

The old tables had been replaced by cement tables and benches that gave it an old-fashioned, rustic feel. Four Cherry Blossom trees had been planted, one at each corner of the courtyard, and this time of year they were in full bloom. The courtyard was big enough that she had been able to add a small garden and a small grassy area for students to lounge on and study during lunch and free period. Ever since they had finished, the Courtyard had been a popular hangout for students and the Committee met once a week, usually on Saturday, to maintain the Courtyard and Garden. There was talk of expanding the garden the following year and Marinette had been disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to participate. She had been offered a summer internship in New York with a prestigious Fashion Designer, Tara Lacrosse, and, if all went well, would be attending college there in the fall.

Behind her, the door creaked open and the pigtailed girl immediately turned to face the boy who stepped through the door. In the almost five years since she had met Adrien Agreste, he had only gotten more handsome. His golden hair was still a tad bit too long, his face longer and leaner than it had been when they’d been middle schoolers. He was taller too, with a lean and athletic build and long legs that allowed him to move with a catlike grace. He was still one of the most well-known faces in Paris due to his modeling, although he had cut back considerably in the last year or so to focus on school and friends. Spotting her immediately, Adrien flashed her an easy grin and lifted a hand in greeting. “Hey, Marinette. Sorry I’m late. I had to talk to _Monsieur_ Duval about our Finals next week.” He explained, coming to stand in front of her. “I have to take it early because my father scheduled me for a photo shoot that day.”

The boy rolled his eyes and winked conspiratorially, causing a light blush to burn across Marinette’s cheeks. In the last three years, her inability to form a coherent sentence around the boy had all but disappeared. Their friendship had actually blossomed during the summer before their Sophomore Year. Nino and Alya were both out of town with their families most of the summer and neither of them had many other close friends. When Adrien had suggested they hang out, she had agreed and slowly, her awkwardness had faded considerably. Even so, the boy got to her like no other and with him standing there staring at her warmly, her heart fluttered nervously. “Anyways, enough about that. You said you had something important to talk about?” Adrien asked, suddenly cutting through the haze of her thoughts.

“What? Oh, right. Yeah um… do you want to… uh… sit?” She asked, awkwardness suddenly returning with a vengeance. At least she was only stuttering and not completely tripping and stumbling over her words like an idiot. Now that the moment of truth had arrived, her anxiety seemed to have skyrocketed but she worked hard to control it. She had been pining after this boy for four years. Whether he broke her heart or made her the happiest girl in the world, she was telling him how she felt _today_. For what it was worth, Adrien didn’t bat an eye when she started stuttering and simply gestured for her to precede him to the nearest table. The raven-haired girl sank down onto the bench, a welcome relief since her legs seemed on the verge of turning to jelly. The blonde-haired model sat beside her, angling his body towards hers. Their knees brushed and she jolted like she had been burned and Adrien leaned closer, concern flashing in his green eyes.

“Are you okay, Marinette? You seem really distressed.” He stated rather matter-of-factly, though there’s a definite gentleness in his tone.

“Yes. Yeah, I’m good. Great. Fine.” She squeaked nervously. “I just, uh…” She trailed off and for a long while neither of them spoke. Marinette stared down at her lap, hands fidgeting, while Adrien sat patiently, content to give her the time needed to collect her thoughts. Finally, she glanced up to meet his gaze. “Do you remember the day we met?” She asked. The boy seemed surprised by the seemingly random question but he nodded with a rueful smile.

“How could I forget? I’m pretty sure you hated my guts back then.” He teased.

“Hate is a strong word, but yeah. I really didn’t like you back then. Looking back, I realize how ridiculous I was. You’re nothing like Chloe was back then. Do you remember when I forgave you?” She smiled softly at the memory that was still so fresh in her mind, it was like it had happened yesterday.

“I… yeah, it was raining and I gave you my umbrella. Something Chloe wouldn’t dream of doing for _anyone_.” The boy chuckled softly.

“To be fair, Chloe has come a long way but you’re right. Back then she would have been more likely to shove me down the stairs than offer me her umbrella. You know, that day… it’s still one of my fondest memories.” Her voice dropped softly at the last part, a warm flush returning to her cheeks. Adrien focused back on her, surprise flitting across his face.

“Because I gave you a silly umbrella?” He asked, sounding just a tad bit incredulous. “Mari, if that’s your fondest memory we need to get you out more. You clearly need a life outside of fashion designing.”

Marinette laughed at the joke, eyes twinkling with mirth as she shook her head. “No, it’s not because of the umbrella. Not entirely at least.”

“What was it then?” Adrien seemed genuinely curious and Marinette silently steeled herself, practically having to force the next words out.

“Because… it was the day that I fell in love.” She dropped her gaze as she spoke the words, too afraid to see his initial reaction. A heavy silence fell over the courtyard. Even the birds seemed to stop singing in the trees and Marinette risked a glance up at her companion’s face. Adrien had carefully schooled his features by the time she looked up, but he couldn’t hide the wariness and uneasiness in his eyes. Not completely. Marinette felt her heart drop.

“You uh… you fell in love? With… who?” He finally asked, sounding nervous.

“I think you know the answer to that, Adrien.” She whispered, forcing herself not to drop her eyes back to her lap.

“Oh.” The boy said lamely. Marinette didn’t miss the way he shifted slightly, moving an inch back so that their knees were no longer touching. That’s the moment her heart shattered. Was it really _that_ bad? So bad he couldn’t even stand touching her? She swallowed thickly and stood up abruptly, startling the boy beside her.

“This was a mistake. I should go. Forget I said anything.” She said, turning away. She intended to make a rapid retreat but Adrien caught her wrist before she had a chance to flee. He tried to catch her gaze but she adamantly refused to meet his eyes and eventually he gave up, instead rising and placing both hands on her shoulders to keep her from running off.

“Marinette, I-”

“You don’t have to say it, Adrien. It’s plain on your face. You can try to hide it but you still have a tendency of wearing your heart on your sleeve. Ironically, it’s one of the things I’ve always liked about you.” Marinette was just as surprised as Adrien by the bitterness in her voice. She wasn’t typically a bitter person but something seemed to have shut down within her.

“I-I’m sorry, Mari. It’s not you, I swear. I think you’re amazing but… I already like someone.” Adrien tried again to catch her gaze but she resolutely refused to give in. “Please, Marinette. You’re my friend. I don’t want this to come between us.”

Marinette shrugged out of his hold and took a step back, lifting her gaze to his. He inhaled sharply at the sight of her face. Marinette had told herself she wasn’t going to cry. She had told herself that if Adrien rejected her feelings, she would wait to cry in the comfort of her own home. That didn’t stop the tears from burning her eyes and creating cold tracks down her cheeks. “I- I can’t. I’m so sorry, Adrien, but I _can’t_. I can’t keep pretending. I’m so sorry.” She whispered brokenly. Adrien reached for her automatically but Marinette evaded his grasp, turned, and fled. Adrien did not follow her and for that, she was grateful. She couldn’t face him again. Not now. Ducking into the nearest alley, Marinette opened her purse and immediately her Kwami, Tikki, floated out with a concerned look.

“Are you-” Tikki began, but Marinette gave a sharp shake of her head.

“I can’t, Tikki. Not yet. I need to process things before I can talk about it. Right now, I just want to go home.” She whispered. The Kwami’s eyes softened and she nodded at her Chosen. The relief that flickered into the girl’s watery eyes made it worth it. “Thank you, Tikki. Now, _Spots On!_ ”

 

It had been two days since Adrien had spoken to Marinette. In the past, he had gone much longer without speaking to the pig-tailed girl due to work trips or because she was out of town with her family. Two days was _nothing_ and yet it felt like an eternity. The blonde haired boy lay face down on his bed, silently cursing his lack of tact. Alya had already been over to tear into him Friday evening, presumably after spending the afternoon with a desolate Marinette, and even Nino had been a bit distant since then. Clearly, they had both sided with Marinette and he couldn’t exactly blame them. Hell, even _he_ was siding with Marinette and he was the bad guy in question. He felt like a total ass. When he had asked how Marinette was, Alya had steadfastly refused to tell him anything and it was driving him crazy. He hadn’t meant to hurt Marinette. She was his friend, one of his first friends, and he cared for her deeply. He just… couldn’t reciprocate her feelings. A knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts and with a sigh, he rose and crossed the room to open the door.

Nathalie, his father’s ever faithful assistant, stood on the other side of the door. She gave him a once over, but for once he didn’t care if he wasn’t perfectly groomed. His clothing was rumpled, his hair mussed, and he knew he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. Put simply, he looked like crap. “Adrien, it has come to my attention that you’ve refused to eat since Friday. It isn’t healthy to be skipping meals.” She admonished, clearly choosing not to comment on his disheveled state. Adrien grimaced. The thought of food made him feel sick.

“I’m not hungry.” He responded, dropping his gaze when her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Did something happen at school, Adrien? You don’t usually skip meals.” Under her piercing gaze, Adrien found he couldn’t lie and instead told her a simpler version of the truth.

“I accidentally hurt a friend on Friday. Our other friends are siding with her, rightfully so, and I don't know how to make it up to her. She doesn’t even want to talk to me.” He admitted, shoulders slumping. He had tried calling numerous times to no avail.

“Sometimes a simple apology is enough to do the trick… although flowers never hurt either.” Nathalie said, her voice softening uncharacteristically. Adrien glanced up in surprise to find the normally stoic woman smiling at him softly. He knew Nathalie cared about him; she had practically raised him after the disappearance of his mother. Still, it was rare her professional composure cracked. She was usually so reserved, aloof, and business-like. Impulsively, Adrien stepped forward and hugged her. She froze briefly, startled by the sudden show of affection, before relaxing and briefly hugging him back.

“Thanks, Nathalie. I’ll apologize to her first thing tomorrow.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. He fully intended to approach Marinette at school tomorrow bearing a huge bouquet and begging her forgiveness. He simply left out the fact that he also intended to sneak out that night to do some damage control as Chat Noir first. Nathalie stepped back, returning to her reserved composure, and nodded briefly.

“Excellent. Will you be taking dinner in your room tonight?” She asked, giving him a pointed look. Adrien smiled slightly and nodded as his appetite returned with a vengeance.

“Yes, that would be great, thank you.”


	2. An Unexpected Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am posting chapter 2 rather quickly because I already have it done but be prepared for a delay on chapter 3. Because this was supposed to be a one shot, I am not entirely certain the direction I want to take the third chapter. I have a general idea of where I want to take the story but getting there will be a test of my skills as a writer lol so please bear with me. Full disclosure; Mild mature content in this chapter. I have sinned and I will keep sinning because I can. You have been warned.

Tikki frowned at her Chosen in disapproval. “This isn’t a healthy outlet, Marinette.” She admonished, watching as the teenager tore up yet another of her Adrien pictures. The girl was sitting in the center of her bedroom, hair loose and tangled, wearing a pair of old pajama bottoms and a tee-shirt. She hadn’t changed since she had thrown them on and collapsed into bed Friday afternoon. She had spent all of Friday evening and most of Saturday crying. Alya had spent most of Friday afternoon beside the girl’s bed, and she had visited with Nino Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, their attempts at cheering her up had pretty much gone unnoticed. Marinette had been deep into the depression part of grief and hadn’t been very talkative. When she woke up that morning, she had still been in the throes of depression but slowly, the sadness had morphed into a deep and burning anger. She had already completely trashed her room, a fact the Kwami chose not to bring up now. Even her parents had dutifully ignored the ruckus of their hurt and disgruntled teenage daughter destroying her bedroom, giving her the space she so obviously needed. Now, the girl sat cross-legged on the ground, a pile of Adrien photos on one side, and a pile of picture scraps on the other. The wallpaper that had graced her computer screen for the better part of five years had been replaced by a simple pink background with a cherry blossom tree framing the right side of the screen. Adrien no longer had a place on the screen, or in her heart. Or at least that’s what she told herself.

“I don’t know what you mean, Tikki. I, for one, think this is a perfectly normal and  _ healthy _ response when someone breaks your heart.” She said fiercely, tearing the picture clutched between her fingers in half with a satisfying  _ ri~ip. _ The Kwami sighed and shook her head, floating closer until she hovered directly in front of the girl’s face.

“This isn’t  _ you _ , Marinette. You need to talk to Adrien. You heard Alya, he hasn’t stopped asking about you. I know you blocked his number so he can’t call you. You’re better than this!” The Kwami growled, scowling at her Miraculous Holder.

“I wasn’t aware being Ladybug meant I was above human emotions,” Marinette retorted sarcastically. She immediately regretted it when Tikki flinched.

“You’re allowed to be sad and angry but this… this goes beyond that, Marinette. If you just  _ talked _ to Adrien… I mean really, he sounds completely distraught. Nino said he was barely eating or sleeping; Adrien clearly cares for you, Marinette.” She said gently, pleadingly. Before Marinette could respond, there was a thump on the balcony above and the pair immediately turned their attention to the skylight above her loft. They glanced at each other, unspoken words conveyed at a glance, and Tikki zipped off to hide while Marinette climbed the ladder to the loft. She had just stepped onto the platform that housed her bed when there was a knock on the window. She sighed. There was only one person who made a habit of visiting her balcony late at night, and she wasn’t exactly enthused at the thought of him interrupting her Adrien cleanse. Still, she found herself unlocking the hatch nonetheless and pushing the window open.

As expected, Chat Noir stood on the balcony with an easy grin on his face. He was leaning patiently back against the railing, one hand lifted in greeting while the other seemed locked firmly behind his back. “Good evening, Princess,” he greeted cheerfully, green eyes sparkling with warmth and something else she couldn’t place her finger on.

“Chat… to what do I owe this pleasure?” She asked warily, stepping onto the terrace. She didn’t immediately cross to join the Superhero, instead lingering near the hatch with her arms wrapped tightly around her body. If the cat boy noticed her reluctance to join him, he pretended not to, instead giving her a sly look.

“I’ve been watching you,” he said bluntly. Marinette arched a brow.

“That’s  _ extremely _ creepy, Chat. Don’t you have better things to do than spy on innocent Civilian girls in the comfort of their own homes?” She asked crassly. The boy’s lips quirked up into a half smile and he resolutely shook his head.

“Not really, no. What can I say? I’m a notorious Peeping Tomcat,” he teased, eyes twinkling at the joke. Despite herself, Marinette let out a short bark of laughter and finally moved to join him, leaning against the railing with a sigh.

“So, is there a reason you’ve been spying on me, or am I just special?”

“You’re always special, Princess. But no, I came by to see you Friday and, well… I couldn’t help overhearing you and your friend talking.” If the girl noticed the way his eyes shifted uneasily, how his posture stiffened slightly, she might have deduced that he was lying through his teeth. He knew Alya had been over on Friday but he had no idea how long she had stayed or if there was much talking done. Marinette stiffened beside him, blue eyes narrowing with indignation as she glared at him.

“You were  _ eavesdropping _ on us?” She hissed, turning to glare at him. Chat winced and hastily shook his head.

“No, no… I mean, yeah. Sort of. But I didn’t  _ mean _ to. It’s just… you were crying and I…” The boy trailed off, cat ears drooping, as the raven-haired girl gave him a scrutinizing look. After what seemed like an eternity, she relaxed and nodded slowly.

“It’s okay. I suppose if our roles were reversed and  _ I _ was the superhero, I’d-” The girl broke off abruptly, an odd look crossing her face, and Chat found himself studying her curiously. Her cheeks had reddened and she was fidgeting with a lock of hair. His thoughts derailed when he actually took in her appearance. She looked emotionally drained. Her eyes were red and puffy, likely from crying all weekend, and deep purple bags hung under her eyes. She was wearing an old, threadbare pair of pajama bottoms that were light pink, a small hole in one knee and the hem of the legs frayed from years of use. An old black tee-shirt with the purple Jagged Stone Emblem emblazoned across the chest completed the ensemble. Her hair was loose and looked almost painfully tangled. It was the first time he had seen her without her trademark ponytails and the way her bangs fell errantly into her eyes was adorable.

“Uh, Chat? What do you have behind your back?” Marinette’s voice jarred him from his thoughts and he mentally shook himself before bringing his hidden arm forward. The girl’s soft, delighted gasp made the expense of getting them worth it. The bouquet was mostly made up of bright yellow roses, but he had spent a bit extra to have a few Star of Bethlehem flowers scattered throughout the bouquet as well. The white and yellow complimented each other well and the sunny appearance of the bouquet immediately warmed the girl’s heart. “Oh, Chat… they’re beautiful.”

Marinette’s voice was low, awed, as she reached out gently to brush her fingers against one silken petal. A small smile played across her lips, and when she lifted her gaze her eyes were shining with unshed tears.  “I- I don’t know what to say. They’re incredible.”

“Thank you is usually the appropriate response,” the cat boy quipped, but for once the girl didn’t roll her eyes or scoff at him.

“Thank you.” She said instead, accepting the bouquet almost reverently. It was cute, really. She was looking at the flowers like they held all the answers to the universe and he had to wonder… had she ever looked at him that way? As a Civilian, that is. He had been so oblivious; for five years Marinette had been in love with him and he had been too stupidly blind to see it. Now that he knew, he had to ask himself how he hadn’t seen it before. The way she had always stuttered around him, how jumpy she always seemed when he greeted her, Alya’s pointed and teasing comments to both of them, and geez, all the group dates? Nino and Alya had all but shoved them together on numerous occasions. He was a goddamn moron.

“You’re welcome, Princess. I wanted to get you something that would brighten your day. Yellow has always seemed like the happiest of colors so…” He trailed off with a self-conscious smile. Marinette lifted her eyes, smiling gently. Stepping closer, she moved up on her tiptoes, clasping his shoulder for balance, and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“That was so sweet, Kitty. They’re gorgeous. I should put them in water. Do you… do you want to stay awhile?” She tipped her head to the side as she stepped back, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. Chat blushed deeply, reaching up to touch the spot her lips had brushed, and nodded absentmindedly. Marinette turned to head back down into her bedroom, Chat trailing after her. This was good. He could work on cheering her up as Chat and tomorrow he could approach her as Adrien and- Chat found his thoughts derailing as he hopped down into the girl's loft and took in the room's appearance. He had started visiting Marinette as Chat Noir three years ago after she had been caught in the crossfire of a particularly nasty Akuma attack. He had whisked her off to safety and then because her well-being mattered to him, he had dropped in as Chat to check on her. They wound up taking for hours and a few nights later when he had been having a rough night, he again found himself on Marinette’s balcony once more. Eventually, he began visiting as Chat a few times a week and before long she began inviting him into her room to watch movies, play video games, and generally just keep each other company. Like Minded people had a tendency to seek each other out and he had a feeling they were both pretty lonely a lot of the time. Occasionally he even helped her with her homework. They had a good thing going and he had always marveled at how comfortable she was around Chat, compared to his civilian self. Now he knew why. She wasn't in love with Chat Noir; she was in love with Adrien Agreste.

Typically, the girl’s room could be described as organized chaos. He was used to piles of sewing paraphernalia littering every surface, school books and sketchbooks and various papers piled precariously on the desk, and half-dressed mannequins wearing clothes in various stages of the designing process. But this was something else. It honestly looked like a tornado had ripped through the bedroom. Baskets of sewing supplies had been upended, books and papers had been knocked flying, and most of her mannequins lay on their sides, half-made clothing hanging limply from the discarded frames. Marinette paused, grimacing as she recalled the mess she had left the room. “Shit, I uh… forgot about all this.” She mumbled, cheeks reddening. Chat waved her off quickly.

“You’re only human. You’re entitled to let go from time to time. Why don’t you go find a vase and I’ll try to make sense of some of this mess?” He asked, figuring that since this was clearly his fault he ought to at least help her clean it up. The bluenette flashed him a grateful smile and nodded, heading for the trap door that led down into the main apartment she shared with her parents. After she had gone, Chat made his way over to the desk and bent to pick up several workbooks that looked like they had been angrily shoved off the desk. As he rose, his eyes flickered to her wall and he paused, frowning. Normally the wall was covered in photos of Marinette and her friends; technically it still was. A good chunk of them seemed to be missing, however, and he tried to pinpoint which were missing to no avail. The images looked like they had been rearranged as well... to cover up the absence of the ones she had removed? He shook his head and returned to his cleaning and, five minutes later, found out why the wall looked so barren. At the center of the mess was a small clear space with two piles of paper sitting in its midst. One pile were pictures; intact, whole pictures of  _ him _ . There were a few group pictures of him with their friends, a few candid shots likely taken by Alya, but mostly they were magazine clippings from past modeling jobs he had taken. The other pile was presumably shredded pictures of  _ him _ , or at least his civilian self.

Chat picked up one of the pictures and inspected it. It was a candid shot of him and Marinette. He was turned away from the camera, presumably speaking to someone outside of the frame. Marinette was standing beside him, her eyes locked on his face. The look on her face made the breath catch in his throat. The utter look of adoration on her face was hard to miss and it was astounding that he had never noticed it before. Rising, he moved to the desk and inspected the photos there. Not a single one remained with him in it and it kind of made his heart sink. Glancing at the photo in his hand, he hastily slid it into his pocket, and not a second too soon as the trapdoor opened and Marinette appeared, vase in hand. The boy turned, hoping he didn’t look suspicious and gestured towards the pile of shredded pictures.

“I have to say, I pity the boy who has to face your wrath.” He said it jokingly, but immediately regretted his words when a ghost of pain flickered across the girl’s face. “Aw, geez. I’m sorry, Marinette. That was really insensitive. I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

He quickly moved towards her but she held up her hands as if to ward him off. “No it- it's fine, Chat. I’m fine.” She lied, dropping her gaze. Chat chose not to press her for the time being and instead returned to the task at hand: cleaning her bedroom. After a moment, Marinette set the flowers aside and began to help him. It took the better part of an hour but eventually, her room no longer resembled a war zone and the pair collapsed on her chaise, side by side.

“I didn’t know girls had so much stuff. I’m pretty sure you’re a packrat, Princess.” He teased, earning a snort of amusement.

“Please, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re just as bad,” she retorted, arching a brow in challenge. The boy chuckled.

“I’ll have you know my room is immaculate.  _ I _ know how to organize,” he quipped, causing them both to laugh. Marinette fell quiet, and Chat found his gaze lingering on her far longer than necessary. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Chat Noir wasn’t entirely certain what possessed him to ask but the words escaped before he could stop them. The girl stiffened and for a long time said nothing. He watched her pull her knees up and wrap her arms around them as if she were trying to curl in on herself. She looked so miserable, he wanted to kick himself. The blonde boy was certain she would say no, but after what seemed like forever a quiet, broken sob escaped her. The sound was like a bullet to his heart.  _ He _ had done this.  _ He _ was the reason behind her tears.  _ He _ was a real piece of shit.

“I- I loved him. I knew I shouldn’t. He was so… so perfect. So unattainable. He’s rich, handsome, the son of a fashion tycoon and me? I’m just the daughter of a baker. I’m plain, ordinary Marinette. I  _ knew _ he would never see me but… but I fell anyway.” She whispered brokenly. 

"A model? He sounds like a snob, if you ask me," Chat scoffed, perhaps a bit too bitterly for a supposedly unbiased third party. Marinette's sharp intake of breath startled him and he turned to find her scowling at him.

"Don't talk about him like that, Chat. You don't even know him. Adrien might be rich and handsome... but he's sweet. He's humble and modest and generous and... and... " Without warning, Marinette launched herself at him, knocking them both back against the chaise so that he was sprawled out with her on top of him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she buried her face in his chest as sobs wracked her body. Chat froze at their suddenly compromising position, mentally telling himself that taking advantage of broken-hearted girls was  _ not _ the gentlemanly thing to do… even if the soft press of her curves against the hard muscle of his chest was doing things to him. Things that, up until now, only his beloved Ladybug had made him feel. Forcing that thought to the back of his mind, Chat carefully wrapped one arm around the girl’s waist, using his free hand to gently stroke Marinette’s hair. He had very little experience when it came to comforting others, so he was mostly going off instinct and what he had seen in movies, but the way Marinette seemed to burrow deeper into his chest, the way she clung even tighter to his body, told him he must be doing something right.

“Shhh. It’s going to be okay, Mari. This boy probably isn’t worth all this trouble anyway. He’s clearly a fool for not seeing what a gem you are.” He continued mumbling words that she barely seemed to be listening to. They stayed like that for awhile, Chat eventually relaxing his stiff, nervous posture. He decided that, at least for the time being, he would enjoy the gentle warmth of Marinette’s body pressed against his. Ladybug wasn’t exactly receptive of his feelings at the moment anyway, so it wasn’t like he was taken. Eventually, her sobs subsided into soft whimpers, which then became occasional sniffles. Her shaking stopped, for the most part, but neither of them seemed to want to move from the embrace. Marinette turned her head slightly and mumbled something against his chest, the vibrations causing his breath to catch so that he missed what she said.

“What was that?” He asked, lifting his head curiously to look down at her. Marinette lifted her head. Her cheeks were flushed, from embarrassment or crying he wasn’t certain. Maybe a little bit of both.

“Am I ugly?” The question caught him off guard and he stared at her blankly for a moment. Marinette grimaced, clearly taking that as an affirmative in her insecure state of mind, and moved to shift off of him. Panicked, Chat caught her around the waist and pulled her back down, not ready to give up her warmth.

“No! No, Princess, of _course_ you aren’t ugly. Why on earth would you ask me that?” The boy asked, green eyes clouded with concern. Marinette buried her face in his chest, her voice so low he almost missed it.

“If I were pretty, Adrien would like me back.” She sounded so small and lost, Chat felt his heart shatter all over again. Abruptly, he sat them up so that she was now straddling his lap instead of sprawling across his chest. Chat shoved down his rising hormones, instead cupping Marinette’s chin in his hand and giving her a fiercely determined look.

“Princess I can honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are the  _ prettiest _ girl I’ve ever met. You’re beautiful;  _ enchanting _ , and any boy would be  _ lucky _ to have you.” He said firmly. Marinette stared at him wide-eyed, lips parted slightly. In the low light of her bedroom, her eyes seemed to sparkle like a galaxy of stars and with a start, Chat realized she was beautiful. She was enchanting.

“You- y-you’re just saying that, Chat. I- I’m so  _ plain _ , so… so  _ undesirable _ . No one-” Chat cut her off with a low, dangerous growl.

“ _ Don’t. _ Don’t belittle yourself, Marinette. You’re perfect and  _ any _ boy who doesn’t see that is a damn fool!” He lifted his other hand, cupping her neck and using his thumbs to lift her chin. He met her eyes, ensuring that there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in her mind about what he intended to do. Chat knew this was wrong. He was the reason she was brokenhearted, he was the reason she felt the need to belittle and insult herself, he was the reason behind her tears… but he couldn’t help himself. Moving slowly, giving the girl every chance to pull away, Chat dipped his head and brushed his lips lightly against her. Once. Twice. A third time. His touches were featherlight, cautious as he fully expected Marinette to pull away. To rebuke him, yell at him, kick him out. She did none of these things. Instead, she let out a dreamy sigh and melted into him, eyes fluttering shut. Her chin tilted willingly as he trailed a line of soft kisses across her jaw and down the soft curve of her throat.

“M-Marinette?” He asked nervously. Her eyes flickered open and suddenly, Chat Noir perfectly understood the term  _ bedroom eyes. _ The look she was giving him was almost his undoing, as was the purr in her voice when she answered him.

“Yes, Chat Noir?” She asked, deep blue eyes meeting his emerald green ones.

“I- we should probably stop. I don’t want to take advantage of you. You’re depressed and I-” He struggled miserably to articulate his worries, trying so hard to be the gentleman. If he were half the man he believed himself to be, he would get up, walk up those steps, and depart the same way he had come in. He was pretty sure he was the most despicable type of human being.

“I don’t want to stop.” Marinette hummed softly and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to his jugular before nipping the skin sharply. Chat hissed, well aware of certain areas tightening uncomfortably beneath the skintight leather of his suit.

“Princess,  _ please _ . I- I’m trying really hard to be a gentleman here and you’re making it really difficult,” he begged, breath hitching as she trailed a line of kisses up his own throat, the same way he’d done to her. She let out another hum, this one right against his skin, and the vibrations caused his breath to hitch.

“Then don’t be a gentleman. Chivalry is overrated.” Marinette responded, giving him another sharp nip.

“ _ Marinette. _ ”

“ _ Chat _ .”

The pair sat back and stared at each other for a long moment before Marinette deliberately grabbed the bell at her throat and tugged him closer. “ _ Kiss me, Chaton _ .” She murmured the words half plea and half command. Chat finally gave up any pretense of being a gentleman and yanked the raven-haired girl closer. His fingers delved into the tangled tresses of her hair as he pulled her down and captured her mouth with his. He wasn’t sure what he expected; it wasn’t like he had ever imagined he would be sitting in Marinette’s room as Chat Noir, with Marinette straddling him, kissing him with a fervor he hadn’t known she possessed. He certainly hadn’t expected the heat, though. This kiss was neither featherlight or gentle. It was wild, desperate, needy. A low fire burned between them, intensifying with every movement of their lips, every stroke of their tongues. Marinette shifted to her knees, knocking him back against the chaise and following him down, her mouth never leaving his. When they broke apart to breath, Chat took the opportunity to trail hot, wet kisses from the base of her ear, down her jaw, and across her throat. The quiet moan that escaped the girl was gratifying, to say the least.

Their lips met once more and with a sudden flash of inspiration, Chat wrapped an arm around her and swiftly flipped over, swapping their positions so that he now hovered over her. A wicked gleam flickered into Marinette’s blue eyes and she smirked. “Feeling a bit emasculated?” She teased, fingers wrapping around the bell at his throat. Chat gave her a wide, debonair grin and shook his head.

“Of having a beautiful girl straddling me? Hardly. I just think this position is a lot more advantageous to me.” He chuckled, earning a dubious look.

“Oh yeah? And how’s tha-” She broke off, breath hitching as Chat moved down slightly, his hand edging her tee-shirt up. He paused, perhaps waiting for her to protest, but when she didn’t he dropped his mouth to her stomach and began leaving a trail of soft kisses against her abdomen. He pauses above the waistband of her pajama bottoms, paying special attention to that area. He sucked and nibbled at the skin, manipulating it with his mouth. Marinette knew what he was doing; she  _ knew _ she should stop the stupid cat from staking his claim. He was all but marking his territory but in that moment, she honestly couldn’t have cared less. Instead, she arched against him, a noise escaping her that sounded suspiciously like a purr. Chat chuckled low against her stomach.

“And here I thought I was the cat,  _ puuurr-incess _ .” 

“Shut up and kiss me you stupid cat.” Marinette groaned at the pun and Chat obediently moved upwards to claim her mouth once more in a searing hot kiss that left them both reeling. He kept one arm locked around her waist, anchoring her to him, while his other hand slipped under her shirt and inched up her abdomen towards her chest. He was about to move his mouth towards her neck once more when a sudden beeping noise cut through the haze he had fallen into. Shifting backward, Chat glanced at his ring in disbelief. Instead of five pads, there were three left. He hadn’t used his Cataclysm though and normally Plagg was able to hold the transformation much long- ah. Plagg. Understanding hit him like a bucket of ice water, pushing back the last vestiges of lust. Plagg was warning him; he was telling him that he was taking things too far and he needed to stop before he did something irreversible… like, take his Princess’ virginity. Chat leaped back, toppling off the chaise in his haste to put some distance between him and the girl he had been making out with moments ago.

“Ch-Chat?” Marinette asked, her voice sounding small and worried. Chat looked over at her; she was sitting up, tugging the hem of her shirt down. Her hair was mussed beyond repair, a dazed and worried expression on her face. Turning abruptly, the boy squeezed his eyes shut. What. Had. He.  _ DONE!? _ He was quite certain there was a special place in hell for guys like him. He had taken advantage of a friend’s pain, a pain  _ he _ had caused, and used it to his own advantage. True, she had been a willing participant, but in her state of mind? She was so fragile, he should have been strong enough to resist temptation. Idiot. Idiot.  _ IDIOT _ .

“Chat Noir? Are… are you okay?” Marinette sounded scared, worried, and hurt. He had managed to hurt her  _ again _ . He was hands down the  _ worst _ kind of person.

“I- um… Yeah, I’m fine. I just, have to go.” He managed, turning and giving her a forced smile. Marinette blinked in disbelief.

“ _ Now _ ?” She asked, jaw slackening. Chat winced but nodded emphatically.

“Yes. Now. Right now. I uh- I’m going to change back and my secret identity has to remain a secret.” He said, lifting his hand to show the depleting pads on his Miraculous. Her shoulders drooped but she nodded in resignation.

“Oh… okay. Will… Will you come back? Soon?” She blinked, hopeful, and he internally groaned, even as he found himself nodding. He couldn’t break her heart twice in one day. That was too cruel.

“I will, as soon as I’m able.” He took a risk and crossed the room, brushing a chaste kiss across her forehead when his ring beeped ominously. Turning, he bounded up to the loft and scaled the ladder, slipping out into the cold night air and leaping quickly across the rooftops of Paris. Tonight was going to be a  _ long _ night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... am a despicable human being. And I love it xD


End file.
